Adjustable article support



Dec. 12, 1950 l. o. MITCHELL, JR 2,533,494

I ADJUSTABLE ARTICLE SUPPORT- Filed Feb. 18, 19.49 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

m'mz azwzauk Patented Dec. 12, 195% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE ARTICLE SUPPORT Iverson 0. Mitchell, In, Washington, D. C. Application February 18, 1949, Serial No. 77,252

6 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable article supports.

An object of this invention is to provide adjustable support for articles such as telephone receivers or the like, for supporting the article in a position whereby the user may have the free use of both hands while talking over the telephone.

Another object of this invention is to provide a support of this kind, including a base and an adjustable arm extending from the base, the arm including means whereby the arm may be locked in a selected adjusted position so as to firmly hold the article on the upper or extended end of the arm. 7

A further object of this invention is to provide a supporting structure of this kind, includ l g electro-magnetic means for locking the adjustable arm in adjusted position and permanent magnetic means for releasing the arm when the electro-magnetic means has been die-energized.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable support of this kind, including spring clips for detachably holding a telephone receiver or the like.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the arrangement, combine-- tion and details of construction disclosed in drawings and specification, and then more par ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in detail, of an adjustable support constructed according tc an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section on an enlarged scale, of the lower one of the ball socket members,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, of a portion of one of the ball sockets and balls,

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation of one Of the complementary socket members,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the electro-magnetic balls,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-45 of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken transversely across the clamping member at the upper end of the support,

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric circuits embodied in this invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral iii designates generally a base housing which is adaptedto have mounted therein batteries II. The base housing In is adapted to be mounted on a suit- 2 able support such as a desk or in a position closely adjacent to a desk, and the base it includes a top wall l2 which is formed with openings i3 and it through which electric conductors as will be hereinafter described are adapted to be extended.

An adjustable upstanding arm generally designated as i5 is secured to and extends upwardi, from the top wall 12. The arm 15 is formed of lower ball socket member to which is formed of complementary half spherical members it and it having base flanges i9 and 28 respectively which are adapted to be secured by fastening members 2i to the top wall [2. The ball socket member i6 is preferably formed of dielectric material such as plastic or the like and the spherical member 56 is cut off as indicated at A ball 23 is rotatably mounted in the bail socket it and i formed with a plurality of recesses or keepers 24 which are circumferentially spaces. about the ball 23. The ball 23 has extendi therefrom a shank 25 which is preferably form integral with the ball 23, and the ball a shank 25 are formed of metal which is ada' to be magnetized upon the closing of the elect c circuit to a coil 26 which is wrapped about the shank 25.

A double ball socket link 21 engages a second ball which is carried by a second shank 23 insulated by insulating means 29 from the shank 25. The double ball socket link member 2? is formed of complementary half members connested together by shanks 3b, which are seem together by fastening means 3%. The shank has wrapped thereabout a coil 32 which is connected in parallel with the coil 2% so that the two coils 2G and 32 will be energized at the same time. Each socket member has mounted in radially disposed recesses metal pins which are adapted to be pulled toward the magnetized bal 23 and into a keeper 24 which is positioned in registry or in alignment with a locking pin 3:2. It will be understood that it is not necessary that the ball 23 be positioned with the keepers 23 all in registry with a locking pin 34. It is only nee-- essary that one or more of the keepers 241 be in confronting or registering position with respect to a locking pin 34.

When the ball 23 is energized the pin "it will be drawn inwardly into the keeper at so that the ball 23 will thereby be locked against rotation in the socket, Each socket member has disposed in the recesses 33 thereof permanent magnets 35 which have a magnetic pull less than the magnetic pull of the activated core or ball 23. When the coils 26 and 32 are de-energized the permanent magnets 35 will come into operation and will :pull the locking pins 3 5 inwardly into the recesses 33 and out of locking engagement with the keepers 24. There may be as many links including the double ball link members and the double ball socket members as may be desired.

The upper one lfia of the ball socket members has secured thereto a base plate 35, and the plate 36 has secured thereto a pair of spring clips 3'5 with which a telephone instrument 38 of conventional construction is adapted to be detachably engaged. The upstanding support comprising the balls and sockets is sheathed by means of a flexible tubing 39 which is secured as at iii) to the top wall 52 of the base member it and is i secured as at ii to the upper plate member 36.

The batteries 1 l have connected thereto conductors 12 and it which are connected to the coils 28 and 32 in parallel as indicated in Figure 8.

A conventional switch id is interposed in conduc- H strument 38 at the desired an ular relation for convenient use with the user having the free use of both hands,

' In the use and operation of this inven ion he base it is mounted either on a desk or closely adjacent to a desk. 33 will be engaged with the instrument box but when the user desires to have the free use of both hands in using the instrument 36, the latter may be clamped to the clips 51 by merely pressing the instrument 38 into the clips 3'1. 15 may then be angularly adjusted to the desired angle with respect to the instrument 38 whereupon switch 44 is closed so as to energize the coils 26 and 32. At this time the locking pins as; will all be drawn inwardly toward the balls 23 and where a keeper 24 is in registry with a locking pin 3%, the locking pin will engage in the keeper 2%. The support is will thereby be locked in its adjusted position. It will, of course, be understood that if desired the manner of locking the 5 links may be reversed from that herein shown, as the electro-magnetic means may be associated with the ball sockets and the lockin pins associated with the balls and the latter permanently magnetized. In this latter case the support will be normally in locked position and can be adjusted by closing the circuits to the coils in the sockets for a time sufficient to pull the locking pins to released position,

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An adjustable article support comprising a base, a relatively flexible arm extending from said base, an article holder carried by the extended end of said arm, said arm including elec- Normally the instrument 1 The supp r tro-magnetic means for effecting rigidity thereof in any adjusted position with respect to said base, and permanent magnet means for releasing said rigidity upon de-energization of said electromagnetic means.

2. An adjustable article support comprising a base, a relatively flexible arm extending from said base, and an article holder carried by the extended end of said arm, said arm being formed 1: of a plurality of pivotally connected links, and

locking pins slidably carried by certain ones of said links, keepers formed in the remaining ones of said links, electro-magnetic means for moving said pins into said keepers to rigidly lock said links together, and permanent magnet means for moving said pins out of said keepers on de-energization of said electro-magnetic means.

3. An adjustable article support comprising a base, a relatively flexible arm extending from said base, and an article holder carried by the extended and of said arm, said arm bein formed of a plurality of pivotally connected links, said links compri in alt rnat ball nd ocket members, means for releasably locking said members ainst mov m n and perm n n m t m ns for releas n sa lockin mea 4. An adjustable article support comprising a base, a relatively flexible arm extending from id b e, n an rticle h d r arried by the xt nded end of said a m, said arm bein formed. of a plu ality of p votally connected links, said links comprising alternate ball and Ocket members, electro-magnetic locking means for releasly l ki said member a ainst movement,

' and permanent magnet means for releasing said 1 is seated in a recess in the socket and the perma- 1161113 ma net means include individual magnets in each socket.

IVERSON O. MITCHELL, JR.

REF RE CES ITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED s rrrrns PATENTS Number 7 Name Date 3 0x 0 M y s-.T-T=-,-..-..- Ja 2, 192.3 1,460,697 Bendlin July 3, 1923 2,219,186 HO nf k a-c .e Oc 2, 1. 0

FOREIGN PATENTS;

Number Country Date 635,561 nce T---..--..- -e a 9, 1 8 

